Led by “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS brought home a victory in the Thursday primetime ratings, in both overall viewers and those 18-49, despite losing the demo from 9-11 p.m. to ABC.

NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” returned from its brief hiatus with two new episodes, registering typical overnight numbers (according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen) and finishing third in its timeslot.

“The Vampire Diaries” on the CW (1.3/4, 2.7 million) came in third in the hour among 18-49 viewers, ahead of the Peacock’s “Parks” (1.2/4, 3.3 million) and ABC’s “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” (0.9/3, 3.7 million). “Vampire” also beat “Parks,” “Wonderland” and “X-Factor” in 18-34.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Special effects can be awesome. They can transport us to space with a stranded Battlestar or the USS Enterprise, take us everywhere from Metropolis to Middle Earth, make mythical creatures like dragons or sphinxes or three-headed dogs come alive — oh, I could go on forever. I love them, and I love what hardworking VFX teams are able to pull off.

But I’m not in love with unnecessary effects, especially when it comes to TV shows. When the special effects teams for certain shows are already tirelessly working away on a tight schedule (and often a tight budget), there’s no need to squeeze in elaborate shots that require green-screen heavy lifting. Fake backgrounds and awkward-looking scenes just take me out of what I’m watching. (Unless it’s Sharknado, of course.)

[SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE LATEST AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN!!!!!!]

Soooo much happened on last night’s American Horror Story: Coven…but it’s all sort of trumped by the news that Stevie Nicks is coming to the show! Yes, Misty Day’s idol will be visiting AHS: Coven in a future episode as series co-creator Ryan Murphy announced this week on Twitter. EW talked to Murphy for our exclusive weekly chats about details on Nicks’ appearance as well as the latest Coven episode, “The Axeman Cometh.”

On Monday morning, our friends at Soaps In Depth confirmed the news (citing well-placed sources), and then another AMC fave, Cady McClain, shared via Facebook, “[We] were very recently contacted and told that, with great regret, AMC won’t be going back online this year, or in this particular incarnation.”

The news should come as no surprise to Murphy superfans; he’s made no secret of his longtime love for the singer-songwriter, whose work with Fleetwood Mac inspired a Glee tribute episode in 2011. “When I was growing up, I was always obsessed with those Stevie Nicks songs like ‘Rhiannon’ and ‘Gypsy,'” the AHS creator told EW last month. “And I remember reading an article where Courtney Love called Stevie Nicks the ‘white witch’ and Grace Slick the ‘dark witch.’ And I have a good relationship with Stevie because of Glee. She is one of the few artists that have come to hang out. She had been writing Lea [Michele] and I regularly since the Cory…

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UPDATE: In updated Nielsen estimates released late Tuesday, Fox’s “Sleepy Hollow” rose to a 2.6/7 in 18-49 and CBS’ “Mike & Molly” edged up to a 2.3/6. There were no other 18-49 changes, including the CW shows.

ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” led the way in cable with its Miami-Tampa Bay matchup (3.9/12 in 18-49, 10.96m). VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop 4″ was the No. 1 entertainment series in 18-49 (1.8/5).

“The Voice” and “The Blacklist” were on the rise Monday, lifting NBC to a dominant demo victory over its rivals. Fox hung tough in second, but ABC and CBS were on the low side and fell further behind.

According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, NBC was the top-rated broadcaster in 18-49 in all six half-hours Monday with “The Voice” (3.8 rating/10 share in adults 18-49, 11.9 million viewers overall) and “The Blacklist” (3.0/8 in 18-49, 10.7 million viewers…

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CBS and Lionsgate are continuing to pour more resources into TVGN, which unveiled a slate of seven original skeins in various stages of development.

Unscripted projects are mostly game and competition-oriented and revolving around pop culture. One is unabashedly a corporate tie-in, “Watch,” which promises to take viewers behind the scenes of CBS’ house magazine.

“We have commissioned a slate of original projects that capture compelling and exciting stories of Hollywood, fandom and obsession,” said Brad Schwartz, prexy of entertainment and media for TVGN.

“Rock the Boat” chronicles the pandemonium that ensues when fans take a weeklong cruise with favorite bands. New Kids on the Block is lined up for the first segment, though the series has yet to be ordered. Donnie Wahlberg, an alumnus of the band and star of CBS’ drama “Blue Bloods,” is an exec producer, with Jarrett Creative Group producing.

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[ew_image url=”http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2013/06/25/Downton-Abbey-PS_612x380.jpg” credit=”Nick Briggs/PBS” align=”left”]This comes as no surprise, but it’s now official: Downton Abbey will be back for a fifth season.

Americans have yet to set their eyes on the fourth season of Downton Abbey, which is set to debut on PBS on Jan. 5, but across the pond, the season premiere scored massive numbers — 9.5 million viewers — for its UK network, ITV, back in September.

“We are thrilled to produce a new series of the show next year,” executive producer Gareth Neame said in a release. “We promise all the usual highs and lows, romance, drama and comedy played out by some of the most iconic characters on television. All the actors and makers of the show continue to be humbled by the extraordinary audience response and want to take the show from strength to strength next year.”

Community is showing more love for Arrested Development: In addition to featuring a cameo by series creator Mitch Hurwitz in an episode, the NBC comedy has now signed up David Cross for a guest spot. (Vulture first reported the news.)

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Angela Lansbury says “it’s a mistake” for NBC to call a new series “Murder, She Wrote.”

The network recently announced plans to reboot the show with Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer as its star. Spencer acknowledged her new TV project on Twitter last month.

Lansbury, who will accept an honorary Academy Award later this week, said “Murder, She Wrote” was her “greatest doorway to the world.”

“I suddenly became a worldwide-known character as Jessica Fletcher and really built an enormous audience, which I have to this day,” the 88-year-old said in a weekend telephone interview from her New York home. “That was the thing that really made me a star in the minds of everybody.”

Lansbury had three Oscar nominations and four Tony Awards when she joined the CBS drama, which aired from 1984 to 1996, earning her 12 consecutive Emmy nominations and international acclaim.